House MD, Ep 4: Six Letter Curse Breakdown Pt 1
by AngelHoffman
Summary: As Angel Hoffman comes to terms with her diagnosis, she grows closer to two of the doctors, one in a surprising way. With the help of Dr. Nolan, she begins delving into her past. This is part 1 of 3.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

Angel Hoffman was lying in her hospital bed, rubbing her eyes. It was impossible to sleep in when the morning staff changed shifts. She'd protested against round-the clock company, so the recliner sat empty. House must have left at some point in the night. Angel was pleased to see Foreman and Wilson walk in; Wilson looked so official in his lab coat, though both looked tired.

"Two of my favorite men," Angel teased. Wilson sat down next to Angel, putting his hand on hers. Foreman sat on the other side. It hit her: Wilson only dressed that way during rounds, and he had a funny look on his face. "James, what is it?" Her voice trembled.

Wilson thought how many times he'd had to deliver news at a patient's bedside. It never got easier, but this physically hurt. "Angel they ran some tests on your spleen. You have amyloidosis." He paused, his mouth going dry, and swallowed hard. Wilson had to get through this part or he'd break down.

She almost couldn't comprehend what Wilson was saying but she started feeling light-headed. "I….I don't understand…" Wilson saw her turned ashy and squeezed her hand. Amyloidosis. The word was spinning around in her brain. She didn't know what it was but if Wilson was telling her….

"Do I have cancer?" She felt Foreman's hand on hers, stroking it gently.

"W-we don't know yet. We have to run some more tests but….yes. It is likely that you have cancer." Wilson's heart felt torn in two watching Angel try to process this, and so soon after major trauma. Her face was blank; he knew this was how some patients initially dealt with the shock. In lieu of family, he was glad Foreman was here with her to help her with the initial blow.

"What do you need to do?" Angel's voice got quieter; she couldn't quite look Wilson in the eyes and hadn't even looked at Foreman.

"We'll need to check your other organs to see if the amyloidosis has affected them. Then a full body scan, and a bone marrow biopsy, possibly a lymph node biopsy. I can probably get those all scheduled today so you won't have to wait too long for answers."

"An MRI?" Angel started breathing harder.

"We can give you sedatives to help you relax. Do you have any questions for me?"

She searched his deep brown eyes. "Am I going to be ok?" Angel's voice was so soft and her face finally changed, tears falling. She reached out for Wilson, who embraced her, and crumbled himself.

"We are going to do everything possible," Wilson said, feeling tears rim his eyes, his chest getting tight, wanting to cry. "It's very likely we caught this early. I promise you, we're going to take good care of you. We're all here to back you up," Wilson put his forehead against Angel's, wiping her tears away, and then kissed the top of her head. "Foreman, do you mind? I-I need to discuss something with Angel." Foreman stepped out.

"Angel, you know how very much I care for you. But right now….I need to stay objective to give you the best care possible. I am here as your friend but—" Angel could see the distress building in his face and gently stroked his cheek. He looked a bit surprised to see a small smile on her face.

"James, I understand. You're my best friend. I know that won't change…" Suddenly Angel looked down with a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

"There's someone else, isn't there?" Wilson felt a load of relief. "Eric?" Her blush grew as she looked up at him. "Well, I think I can say after watching the way he looks at you, the feeling is mutual. I'm genuinely happy for you, Angel."

"You're….okay? I was so worried about hurting you. When you called the other day, I was at Eric's," she confessed, looking guilty. James kissed her hand.

"I'm fine. Really. I was so afraid of hurting you, especially right now. You deserve this." He gave her a caring smile.

Neither saw Eric entering, having been sent to get Wilson. "You know how much I love you James," Angel said, hugging him tightly.

"I love you too. Now let me go get those tests ordered," he said, kissing her cheek.

Finally Foreman spoke up. "Wilson, House is looking for you." He felt uncomfortable having his thoughts confirmed—Angel was with Wilson. But she still needed a friend and he was determined to be there for her.

"James, does House know?" The oncologist shook his head. He'd seen House soften towards Angel in the past few days. He knew that House would put the whole team on this.

"It's ok if you tell him." Wilson nodded and left. "Eric? I wouldn't mind some company right now." Reality was crashing over her and she started shaking again.

"You know, you've got the best oncologist in the state. Wilson will take good care of you," Foreman reassured her, putting a smile on his face even though he didn't feel like it.

"I'm lucky to have him as my best friend. He and I agreed it was better to just be friends right now…especially since…there's someone else I'd like to spend more time with," Angel said coyly, her heart fluttering. Slowly she looked up at Foreman through her eyelashes. "James was pretty sure the other person felt the same way." She bit her lip nervously.

Foreman blinked a few times, and then looked right into Angel's eyes. "Wait….do you mean me?" Angel could barely nod her head, she was holding in her breath so hard it hurt.

Without another word, Foreman leaned over, kissing Angel's lips, cupping her cheeks tenderly. They both started laughing, Angel with tears in her eyes. "You have no idea how much I've wanted this," Foreman said, stroking her hair. "I went to Wilson's office last night to see where you two stood because I really care about you."

Angel's eyes suddenly looked sad. "But…I'm sick. Do you want to be with someone like me who—"

"Yes. I've known since the moment I watched you sleeping on the couch in my office, Sleeping Beauty. And then our first kiss….I want to be with you. To help you through this. To take care of you." Eric sat on her bed, rubbing her leg.

"Sure it wasn't the outfit I wore at the strip club?" She teased him. "I knew when you were moving the desk. Taub caught me staring at you." She blushed hard at the memory. "And then when you stroked my hair that night. You were so tender and sweet."

They were kissing again, more passionately, when Wilson came back with the vials for the blood draw. He felt a little sad. Angel was a remarkable woman. But this is what she deserved—a man who could give her what she needed, who was ready to commit to her. Wilson had seen quite a change in Foreman in the past few weeks, for the better. Slightly embarrassed, he cleared his throat.

The couple parted, and Angel blanched at the sheer number of vials on the tray. "I-I'm not so afraid of needles, ever since I got my tattoo, but will I have any blood left?" Feeble jokes were her attempt to deflect the fear rattling her body. This was real. It was happening to her.

"Just look at me and hold my hand," Foreman said gently. Wilson worked as quickly as he could but just the feeling of the needle moving in her arm made her queasy. She closed her eyes when she started seeing black spots, and started feeling hot and cold. Foreman got her a washcloth and draped it over her forehead.

"We're all done Angel," Wilson said sympathetically, knowing all this was a lot to take in. And none too soon—Angel whimpered about her stomach, sending Foreman to scramble for a bedpan. She threw up a few times, and then just heaved for a minute more, cheeks crimson.

Wilson lowered the head of her bed and got her some ginger ale to soothe her stomach. Foreman gently wiped off her face, while Angel weakly tried to apologize. Both men assured her it was no big deal. "I'm going to get these to the lab and get the rest of the tests scheduled." Wilson stroked her cheek and left.

"Are you sure you want this? If I have to have chemo, I'll throw up all the time, I'll lose my hair…" Angel desperately wanted him but was so used to pushing people away.

"Not a problem for me. And if you haven't noticed, I don't have that much hair either. We'd match," Foreman gently teased, getting a smile out of Angel. "Now, is there anything you need from home? You might be here for awhile."

Angel nodded her head, sniffling. She quickly wrote down some things. He looked it over and at one item, gave her a funny look.

She laughed through her tears and said, "I'll explain when you get here. No mocking allowed."

It made him feel a little better to see her smile. "I'll be back ASAP. Do you want me to find someone to sit with you until I'm back?" Angel tried to put up a brave front and shook her head.

Within minutes however, Hadley was poking her head in. "Hey, I'm trying to hide from clinic duty, can I hang out here?"

Angel smiled as she sat by her bed. "Eric told you something, didn't he." Hadley's smile was replaced by guilt and she nodded.

"He didn't say what, just that you'd gotten some bad news and I should keep you company while he ran an errand. Angel….?" She took Angel's hand.

"I have amyloidosis and probably cancer," Angel said flatly. The words still didn't feel real to her. Hadley's eyes grew wide and she couldn't hide the dismay on her face.

"We've treated plenty of patients with amyloidosis and they were fine. And Wilson's not head of oncology for nothing," Hadley said firmly, trying to boost Angel's confidence. "You're going to beat this. We've got your back." When she hugged Angel, both women were shaking.

Angel wiped the start of tears from her eyes and gave Hadley a small smile. "I haven't had a female friend in a long time. I forgot how nice it is," she said, squeezing Hadley's hand.

"Same here. Growing up I didn't have a lot of friends, with my mom always being sick. And I've dated lots of women but even then, I don't know. I guess the knowledge I might have Huntington's chorea made me push people away," she said quietly.

"I was close to a lot of the dancers, but one of them, Tricksy, was the closest person I had to a best friend and mom." Angel noticed the curious look on Hadley's face. "Yeah, I used her name at the WildKat Club. She saved my life. I was living on the streets, eating food out of dumpsters, and she pulled up in this shiny new car. She was so beautiful; I thought she was a movie star or something. Asked me to come with her; got me cleaned up, fed, a place to live, a job. When Connor died…I just left without saying goodbye." Angel was quiet a moment, mixture of sadness and regret on her face.

Angel dabbed at her eyes again, trying to shake off all the sinking feelings she was having. "I'm sorry; I don't know where that came from. I know you have your own things to worry about," she apologized, hanging her head. Hadley rubbed her arm.

"Hey, you're going through a lot right now. That's what friends are for." Her heart hurt for Angel, but the newfound friendship was a feeling she welcomed.

Angel let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay, time to talk about something different. How are you and Chase?" She was glad to see Hadley's face change and the big grin. "That good, huh? Details!"

"Well, we're going on vacation, to Jamaica, in a few weeks," she announced, giddy. "I…I think I'm falling in love with him." Her eyes sparkled and made Angel smile.

"I know he must feel the same way, I see it in his eyes when he looks at you," Angel said confidently. "I'm good at reading people's eyes. I'm really happy for you two. And Jamaica! How lovely….I've never seen the ocean. Promise you'll take lots of pictures?"

"You bet. What about you and Wilson?" She noticed the huge blush on Angel's face and laughed. "I never would have thought Wilson—" Angel quickly interrupted.

"Actually….James and I are just friends, especially now that I have…" For a minute, Angel's face fell. The full impact of her probable diagnosis hadn't completely set in so she was able to forget about it for a little while. She swallowed hard, and then smiled again. "Eric and I are together now." She laughed when Hadley's jaw dropped.

"Foreman? Wow, really? Since when?" Hadley was completely blown over.

"Since this morning. Remy, you dated him…." Angel felt a bit nervous asking her as his ex-girlfriend, but she had to know.

"He's a wonderful guy. He'll take good care of you, I promise. You don't need to be afraid," she calmly assured Angel, knowing her history of abuse made Angel wary of any man.

"Why did you two break up? If I'm not being too nosy," Angel said, blushing a bit. Hadley waved it off.

"No, it's fine. He was in charge of a department and House said he had to quit or fire me. He fired me. I knew the job meant more to him than I did. He apologized later, and…well, it's all good. I'm really happy with Chase, and from the amount of blushing, I'd say you're pretty happy with Foreman." Angel blushed again as confirmation.

"Thanks Remy, for everything. Especially for being my friend," Angel looked into her emerald eyes and smiled.

"Just hang in there. You're not going through this alone," she assured her. "Why don't you get some rest? I know you have a lot of tests today. I can hang out until Foreman comes back."

Angel nodded her head, accepted some Ativan to relax, and dozed off.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

By the time Wilson was ready to run the MRI scan, Foreman was back from his errand. They were about to wheel Angel to Nuclear Imaging when House came in.

"Doesn't anyone listen to me anymore?" House growled. "Foreman, I thought I told you to tell Wilson I was looking for him." His steely glare was met by a matching set.

"I did tell him. Perhaps he was busy?" Absentmindedly, his hand began to rub Angel's shoulder as she sat in the wheelchair.

"Humph." House redirected his irritation to his best friend. "Your secretary said you were with a patient but sent me here…." It took him a moment before realization hit him. His eyes widened, and he lost the hard edge to his jaw. "Diagnosis?" House asked simply but with a softer tone.

"Secondary Amyloidosis in the spleen, we're about to take Angel to MRI for a full body scan—yes, I know how you hate them, but I want to be on the safe side. Then bone marrow aspiration and biopsy and a lymph node biopsy. We're waiting for the blood tests to come back on her organ function enzymes. I…suspect multiple myeloma." Wilson hated rattling all this off like it was a shopping list.

"Want some help?" With almost a chipper tone in his voice, House looked at Angel. Wilson knew he was doing this to keep her spirits up. She smiled faintly and nodded. "Cool. I wanna play God."

Angel looked mildly alarmed as they traveled down the hallway, until Wilson explained that House had a phobia to the MRI as well. He had functioned as "God", the one who talked to House while being scanned. Angel barely suppressed a laugh.

"Oh sure, laugh, at least I'm not wearing duck socks," House pointed his cane at Angel's feet. "What, are you five?" Angel stuck her tongue out.

"They're my lucky socks. I wear them every time I have to have an MRI. They make me feel better," Angel retorted with a mock pout. Foreman grinned and she laughed finally. House eyed their affection suspiciously.

"I think I rather like ducks," Wilson said, choosing to be on Angel's side, if nothing but to annoy House.

"Yeah well what does your new boy toy think? I assume that's who the lovey dovey looks are coming from," House persisted in his seemingly endless 'I can be more annoying than you are' game.

"I think they're cute," Foreman said, leaning over and kissing Angel. They were all amused by House looking grossed-out and rolling his eyes.

House glanced over at Wilson, wondering how he was handling the double blow of losing Angel to Foreman, and having to deliver the bad news to her. But all attention went back to Angel as they entered the room with the MRI; she grew silent but was shaking. House gave Angel a pat on the shoulder, saying, "Foreman, grab one of those plastic chairs and sit with Angel during her scans."

Angel gave him a grateful smile as Wilson helped her walk to the machine and got her positioned. "I'm sorry it's going to be a long scan, but the sedative will help." He decided to put in a hep lock on the back of her hand so that if she needed more, it would be easier to administer. Angel gave him her best brave face and squeezed Forman's hand.

Minutes later when she entered the MRI, she was relaxed and floaty. "Angel, this is God. Would you like some music?" He could see her smile on the monitor. "Ok we have classical," House said as he grimaced, "Classic rock which I personally created on the 8th day, or…got a favorite?"

"Have any Green Day? Billy Joel will do as well," Angel replied, giggling a little, thinking of Wilson.

"Green Day, eh? I never would have pegged you as alternative punk. You got it. God, over and out." House pulled up the music and hit play as they began the first scan. He turned to Wilson.

"So. You okay about Angel and Foreman?" House couldn't quite read the look on his friend's face.

"Yeah. I think they're good together and he can make her happy. I…just wasn't ready for a serious relationship and she really needs someone right now." Wilson didn't look away from the monitors. House just nodded.

House began to squint and peered closer at the images coming up on the screen. So far so good, nothing in her brain looked amiss. Wilson concurred. They noticed some minor deterioration in her cervical spinal area, but nothing that would indicate cancer. House made a mental note to get her into physical therapy and to mention that to Foreman.

"Angel, this is God again. You've passed the first scan. You do indeed have a brain. Even though your choice of boyfriends might suggest otherwise," House mocked in a deep voice.

Foreman just glared through the glass of the booth and held Angel's hand. Her trembling had stopped with the sedative; he was relieved she wasn't scared in there. They adjusted the table so it moved further into the MRI. Foreman was just able to touch her fingertips.

This scan was more troubling for Wilson and House. Immediately they began to see old healed fractures: arms, hands, ribs. "No wonder she doesn't play the piano anymore," House growled. "Or that she hurts so damn much. These aren't just from the past few years."

"You're definitely thinking child abuse?" Wilson asked, brow furrowed, eyes saddened.

"And I thought my father was a bastard. We really need to get her to talk to Nolan," House insisted.

"House…" Wilson hesitated; House looked at him dumbfounded. "Now might not be the best time to bring up such a hurtful childhood. She's going to need to stay as positive as possible to beat the cancer. Trying to deal with both might push her too hard."

Wilson could see that House was about to blow a fuse, so he continued. "Certainly, talking to Nolan now is a good idea. Even with all of us supporting her, it will help her to talk with him about her cancer. Whether she chooses to bring up the abuse will be up to her, not us." House sighed, momentarily defeated.

"Mórai? Where are you?" came a shriek from the MRI. Both House and Wilson jerked their heads back to the monitor where they could see her frightened face. House quickly grabbed the microphone.

"Angel, Angel, I'm here, you're having a test in a special machine that checks all over your body but you have to lie very still. Dr. Foreman is in the room with you. Do you understand?" House held his breath.

Angel let out a hiccupy yes but still looked terrified. "Was I bad? Did I do something wrong again?"

"No, Angel, you're a good girl," assured House gently.

Wilson flipped a few buttons after they readjusted the table. "She's not dreaming or making this up. Those are definitely memories," he confirmed after pointing out the colors rapidly changing in her brain area.

"Did I….fall again? I don't like how loud it is in here," Angel whimpered, holding still but looking so uncomfortable.

"Angel have you been in one of these before? What happened?" House talked to her while they resumed the scan, noting the fractures along her legs.

"I'm not supposed to tell," Angel said quietly, her eyes big, darting around, seeming so lost.

"Angel it's ok to tell me. I'm your Mórai and you won't get into trouble." Angel bit her lip but nodded slightly.

"I was taking a bath and the bad man came in and wanted to dry me off. I said no, then he took the towel away and tried to….tried to….touch me. When I said no, I tried to get away and…he pushed me down the stairs. I'm sorry. He said only evil girls disobey grownups," Angel finished with a sob.

Wilson saw House grip his cane so hard, his knuckles where white. Eyes blazing, House managed a soft, tender voice. "Angel you are not evil and you did the right thing. No one has the right to touch you like that unless it's a doctor and you are in a hospital and hurt, and only then when there is a female doctor or nurse with you. He was a bad man to touch you and a very bad man to hurt you. Do you remember how old you were when this happened?"

"I was eight." House closed his eyes. Wilson could have sworn he saw a tear start to form beforehand.

"Let's get this scan finished," Wilson said, putting his hand on House's shoulder.

"Angel, Dr. Foreman is going to give you some medicine to make you rest okay? You're such a good girl. I love you." Damned if he was going to let his voice break but he was furious. Foreman gave more of the sedative and Angel fell asleep.

She was still asleep when the scans were done. All three men were horrified by this new revelation. House had copied this session on a disc for Nolan, since her younger self had appeared three times now. House deduced it was the combination of stress and sedation that allowed her to subconsciously remember and tell someone. In a way he was glad Angel couldn't remember this right now. He didn't think she was strong enough.

They decided to keep her sedated for the bone marrow and lymph node biopsies. Wilson couldn't bear the thought of Angel waking up so disoriented while he had to inflict pain on her. They soon had their samples sent to the lab, and had Angel back in her room resting. House was itching to take a look at the scans but for once he felt his place was with his patient. He sent the team to scour over the images looking for anything suspicious. It would be a few hours before pathology sent back the biopsy results.

Angel let out a deep sigh and began to stir. House sat by her, looking at her face. He fiddled with a box in his jacket pocket, waiting for her to wake up. Whether he wanted to or not, he felt very close to Angel. He'd once been attracted to her, but since her flashbacks began, House wondered what it would be like if she were family, a sister or even a daughter. He was certainly old enough. _Dear god, am I going soft_? John House, who wasn't even his biological father, had been tough and sometimes cruel; it was nothing compared to what Angel must have endured. Something about this made him feel more than sympathetic towards her plight.

"Hi House," Angel mumbled sleepily, snatching him from his thoughts. She looked pale and winced in pain. Without being asked, House reached over and clicked for her dose of morphine. "Thanks. How long have I been out of it?"

"A couple of hours. I…..I've got something for you," House said, almost embarrassed, as he pulled the box out of his pocket.

Angel smiled and opened it—her grin grew larger. It was a necklace with dog tags listing all her allergies. "Thanks, House, I love it," she said, slipping it over her head.

"It's aluminum so it won't interfere with any scans, and there's space to add a few more. Hopefully we won't need to." He was pleased that she was happy, but felt a bit awkward.

"I can't remember the last time I got a present," Angel said with a blush. She patted House's hand. "Thanks for looking out for me."

Foreman still wasn't back, so House took the opportunity to do a little digging. "So. Allergies run in the family? Food, drug, environmental?"

Angel measured her words carefully. "My son had a severe allergy to dairy." House could see how cautious she was in her answer.

"Okay, what about your parents, siblings, grandparents?" He noticed her eyes shifted downward.

"I don't know." Angel felt a sickening knot grow in her stomach.

"Anything like hay fever, rashes, special diets…" House pressed on. He knew something was there but he couldn't put his finger on it. Angel's cheeks were flushing red and she began to look upset, but House wouldn't relent.

"I-I don't remember." Angel bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. House's curiosity won over compassion.

"I know you were 15 when you left home but—" Angel interrupted him with a choked sob.

She took a deep breath to try to regain her composure. When she spoke again, it was shaky, hesitant. "I don't remember. I don't remember anything before I was 15. The first thing I remember in my life is waking up in an alley."


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

At the look of shock on House's face, Angel began to apologize. "House, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I've felt like a freak all these years and I was scared to tell anyone, thinking that maybe I'd done something so horrible I blocked it out. I've always felt—"Angel stopped, but continued trembling.

House recovered, and simply said, "Go on, it's okay."

"I've always felt like deep down…I was evil. And I didn't want anyone to know. That's why I changed my name." She hung her head in shame until House gripped her shoulders and she looked up at him, afraid.

"You are not evil, do you hear me? You are a good person who has had a tough life, but you didn't deserve it. You were only 15. You may have lost your memory but I see how you are. There's nothing evil about you." House realized the anger in his eyes was scaring her. "I'm not angry at you. But someone put that idea into your head. That's what's pissing me off. Not you." He released his hold on her, gently stroking one shoulder before sitting back. "Now, what's this about your name?"

Still shaking, but relieved at finally telling her secret, she slowly answered, "Angel Hoffman is my legal name. I had it changed when I was 16. But my real name was Anna Hamilton. I was so scared someone from my past might find me, or the police, or…." She shrugged "I changed it. I never meant to lie to you House."

"Don't worry about that. It's okay. We've got other things to deal with right now. You just need to rest." Angel settled back into bed, feeling overwhelmed, and showing it. "Want me to get Foreman?" She nodded, with a grateful smile. He gave her a hint of a smile in return. "I'll see you before I leave for the weekend." House left. Angel closed her eyes, exhausted from the anxiety of the day.

House headed to join the team in scrutinizing her scans, letting Foreman know that Angel wanted his company. Now that he had more information, he planned on digging through past medical records, anything that might help Angel heal from her past. The team was grimly silent as they observed all the fractures. They glanced over at House, but he looked angrier by the minute. They assumed correctly their questions should be saved for another time.

Soon House realized he was the only one in there; the remnants of his team were nowhere to be found. A text from pathology estimated results within the hour. He sent out a message to the team.

XXXXX

Foreman entered Angel's room with a smile, but his heart hurt at the look on her face, like a wounded animal. "House said you were looking for me?" She nodded, and he sat on the edge of her bed. Angel paused for a moment, and then leaned into his arms. He held her, rubbing her back and stroking her hair.

"I have a gift for you," he whispered into her ear. She leaned back, a small smile on her face. He brought over a large box with a pink bow on it.

She opened it, delicately peeling back the pink tissue paper. "Oh Eric, it's gorgeous!" Inside was a robe, blush pink, in fabric that felt as soft as a cloud. She couldn't resist rubbing it against her cheek. He was quickly rewarded by a luscious kiss.

"When I was at your place I realized you didn't have something like this and, well, hospital gowns leave a lot to be desired for coverage," Foreman said, delighted at her glee.

"It's perfect, help me put it on?" Sore from the day's procedures, he helped her out of bed and soon she had the dreamy robe wrapped around her and was back in bed. "Mmm it's wonderful." Angel let out a happy sigh.

There was a knock at the door and soon the team and Wilson filed in. Angel smiled back at them, and then noticed they were all carrying gift bags. "What's going on…?" she asked, a half-smile on her face.

"We thought you could use some things to cheer you up right now, so…surprise!" Hadley said, giving Angel a hug and a bag. Angel pulled out three steamy-looking romance novels and some magazines, a few which made her blush. "I got you a few of each, to keep both sides of your fancy entertained," Hadley said with a wink. The men tried to get a glance, but Angel clutched them to her chest, and tucked them back into the gift bag. Angel had a good laugh with Hadley.

Wilson stepped forward next: she unwrapped a sweet little stuffed duck, which made her giggle. "I think I'll call him Murry." When Wilson looked at her confused, she spelled it out for him. "M-R-I...get it? Murry!" They exchanged cheek kisses.

Chase came forward with a small box. Inside was a small bracelet with beautiful polished stones. "I was raised Catholic, and…well, I didn't know what your faith was. So I got you some prayer beads. I hope they bring you comfort." Angel hugged him tenderly at such a thoughtful gift.

Taub, trying to be brave but looking sad, came up to her bedside. Angel put her hand on his cheek. "I'm going to be ok. I know you all won't let anything happen to me." He smiled and put a large bag on her lap.

Angel was speechless when she pulled out a lovely lap quilt. She began to cry when she saw that the entire team had each signed a block, even House, Cuddy and Rachel. "Oh, Chris," Angel began but was too moved to continue.

"Rachel's Aunt makes prayer quilts, and when I talked to her, she said her aunt had just finished one. I thought it was perfect timing." He beamed at her delight.

"Please thank Rachel for me. One of these days, she and I need to get together," Angel laughed as she hugged Taub tightly.

Angel noted it was getting close to the end of the workday and was ready to say goodbye. They all said again how much she was missed in the office, especially where coffee and treats were concerned.

"Yeah, I miss your muffins," sighed Taub, immediately blushing when the whole room, including Angel burst into laughter. He looked mortified until Angel patted his hand and winked at him.

"Baked goods! I meant baked goods!" He protested as the laughter got louder.

"Uh-huh, and just who gave me the nickname 'hot new assistant'?" Angel asked, hands on her hips, looking at him with an impish grin.

"Yeah, ok, that would be me," Taub confessed, embarrassed but smiling at her.

At that moment, House walked in with a handful of papers and the room went silent. They noticed the light go out of Angel's eyes as she stared at House. She could see it in his eyes, and it was confirmed when he handed the papers to Wilson and his face fell.

"Do you want us to leave?" Hadley asked quietly. Angel shook her head.

"Well?" Angel couldn't hide the shaking in her voice. She felt the hands of her friends comforting her.

Wilson took a deep breath. He didn't want to make her wait another second but it almost felt like he couldn't force the words out of his mouth. But one look in her eyes and his courage returned. "It's cancer, multiple myeloma, with secondary amyloidosis. I'm so very sorry Angel. But we did catch it very early and that's excellent news. Your other organs are completely fine," Wilson finished, rubbing her arm.

"We'll leave you to discuss the details. But if you need anything, give us a call," Hadley said, tenderly hugging Angel. The rest of the team reiterated the same sentiment as they filed out quietly, overcome by the drastic change in mood.

"So what now?" Angel's smile faded, and she braced herself for what Wilson had to say about her treatment.

"The good news is that you get to go home for the weekend. I'll give you a care sheet for the biopsy sites. You need to rest, and drink plenty of fluids. Light exercise is okay. Monday when you come in, we're going to run some allergy tests to see which medications we'll use. Typically we use 3 medications in your IV, and a shot once a week. We'll use the chemo medication, a steroid, and another medication such as thalidomide."

Angel looked alarmed. "No….I won't use that. I mean, I'm still young, and if I want to have kids…"

James took her hand. "Angel, most likely, the chemotherapy will leave you infertile. Insurance won't cover freezing your eggs. I'm so sorry." His heart felt like breaking again. How much more bad news did he have to deliver to her?

Her lip quivered but she was adamant. "No thalidomide." James nodded and wrote it in her chart.

"Monday we'll also harvest your bone marrow. You'll be out for the procedure. Basically we get the stem cells, freeze them and you become your own marrow donor. You may need to stay overnight for a day or two and then take it easy for the rest of the week." Wilson handed her a cup of water; she sipped at it in a daze.

"H-how much chemo and how long?" Her hands were shaking so hard she nearly spilled the water. Foreman held it for her.

"We'll start the following week. You'll have 4 days of chemo, then a break for three weeks. That's a cycle. I'm going to monitor your progress, but I think I'm going to have you do 4 cycles. We can do as many as 6. You'll come in once a week for your shot. I'd like to keep you in the hospital during the days you do chemo just to be on the safe side." Angel nodded and waited for him to continue.

"Side effects are different for everyone. But usually they will start the 2nd or 3rd week of the first cycle. We'll do everything we can to minimize the side effects: anti-nausea drugs, IV fluids for dehydration, pain medication. We also have alternative therapies here such as acupuncture, yoga, music and art therapy, plus group counseling. I know you'll be seeing Dr. Nolan."

"As for the bone marrow transplant, you'll have that after your last cycle is over. Unfortunately you'll have to stay in the hospital for about 2-4 weeks while your immune system recovers. Then you have scheduled checkups." James paused. The tension in the room was so thick and Angel was crumbling under the weight of it. He gently put his arms around her, tucking her head under his chin.

"I know this is so much to take in Angel. I-I just wish there was something I could do to make this easier for you. But I'm here for you. We all are." Wilson said a silent prayer for strength for Angel. She felt so small and fragile in his arms.

"What if I don't?" Angel spoke slowly, her voice flat. House noticed her eyes looked empty. He knew that look. He saw it in the mirror far too often.

"I…don't understand what you mean, Angel," Wilson turned so he could look at her. She picked up the picture of Connor and stared at it, fingering the frame.

"She wants to know what will happen if she doesn't do the treatment," House answered for her. Wilson and Foreman both frowned, feeling panic.

"Angel, best case, six months, maybe a year! You need the treatment, why would you not have it?" Wilson was flabbergasted and had the impulse to shout, but managed to maintain some composure.

"Maybe this is my punishment for Connor's death." She looked up, only meeting House's eyes. Surely he understood.

"It's not your fault." House said simply, limping over to her bedside, Foreman making room.

"But you don't know that—" Angel's voice began to rise when House forcefully interrupted.

"Actually I do. I pulled his medical records from the hospital." He let that sink in. Angel sucked in a deep breath, the last of the color fading from her cheeks.

"Hospitals don't like to admit mistakes. But they had a Morbidity and Mortality meeting—an M&M as it's called. And while they don't come out and say they screwed up on Connor, they did. Had you stayed around and filed a lawsuit you would have won."

"But nowhere," House gently put his fingers under her chin so she had to keep eye contact, "nowhere does it even suggest that Connor's death was your fault. You were a wonderful mother and you have to stop punishing yourself. You have to let this go. If you die, you won't bring him back. All you will do is cause grief and pain to your friends who care about you and love you." He stared at her, unblinking.

Angel closed her eyes as a tear slipped out and she nodded her head. House gently touched her cheek. "Good girl." He limped back to his chair and sat. It felt like the room could breathe again. Wilson mouthed "thank you" to House, who just nodded. Foreman stepped back to Angel and kissed her head.

"Angel, I'm going to give you some things to read, but please, keep the web searching to a minimum. I know this is scary but I don't want you over-researching. You can call me anytime with questions. Is there anything else before I get your release papers?"

Angel gave him a tiny smile and shook her head. He left the room, patting House on the shoulder, who stood up to leave as well. Angel spoke up."House? I…I don't know how to thank you."

"Just get better." House was almost shocked as Foreman came to shake his hand, thanking him. "You take care of her."

As Foreman helped her pack, he paused. "Angel, I know this is kind of sudden, but…I'd like to come stay with you, if that's alright. I'd feel better knowing you weren't alone this weekend. Plus I can help make sure the biopsy sites are okay, help with pain meds…"

The surprised look on her face almost made him smile, but she'd had such an overwhelming day, trying to process one more thing must be near impossible. "Um….yes. Yes, I think I'd like that," she said, pink coming back to her cheeks. They smiled at each other.

As Angel sat in the lobby waiting for Eric to pull the car around, Cuddy came up to her, giving her a tender hug. "I heard the news from House. If there is anything I can do, or the hospital can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you Dr. Cuddy. I can't tell you how much it means to have everyone's support." Angel couldn't help but notice the pitying looks from some of the nurses. Word had spread fast.

"Please, call me Lisa. The nurses all signed a card for you," Cuddy handed it to her, "and Rachel colored a picture for you." Angel beamed at the colorful drawing.

"Thank you so much," Angel said, beginning to sniffle.

"Are you going to be ok this weekend?" Cuddy asked, concerned.

Angel couldn't hide the blushing, despite how tired she was. "Eric is going to be staying with me. We're a couple now." She didn't laugh despite the baffled look on Cuddy's face.

Cuddy bid them both a good weekend as Foreman helped her into his car. Angel nearly felt giddy with the idea of Foreman spending the weekend with her. Reality would rear its ugly head soon enough.

XXXXX

Wilson and House were worn out on the drive home. Wilson glanced over at House, deep in thought. "What's going on in your head?" he asked, mildly concerned.

"I'm thinking this is a good night for pizza, copious amounts of beer and porn," House said with a tight smile. Wilson wasn't buying it.

"What's really going on? Are you okay with Angel and Foreman?" House screwed up his face in annoyance instead of replying. "C'mon House, I know you. There's something between you and Angel. Spill. The dog tags were rather thoughtful, especially from you." Wilson's teasing got him nowhere.

"I found someone whose childhood was shittier than mine. I can't help but relate to that." House's retort was sobering enough to end conversation until they reached the condo.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Angel had been settled on the couch for a little while, waiting for Foreman to return from his place. "I picked up some Thai food, if that's okay," he said, setting down the food in the kitchen and his things in the bedroom.

"Yeah…that sounds good. Um, Eric? Why does my place look….clean? I feel like I haven't been here in ages and I thought the apartment would be under a foot of dust." Angel eyed him suspiciously, her lips barely curled.

"Well…that's what I figured so when I was here picking up things for you, I had a cleaning crew come and freshen the place up." He came over to the couch and sat beside her. "Is that alright?"

Angel slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, drew him to her, and kissed him, letting out a soft sigh that encouraged him to hold her, gently running his hands down her back. "You are a prince. Thank you Eric." She resumed her act of gratitude, feathering his lips with her tongue, then nuzzling down his neck. He continued to stroke her back, mindful of her injury and testing sites. When his fingers found skin, she let out a moan and arched her back, closing her eyes, tossing her hair back. He wished with every fiber of his being that he could keep that look of bliss on her face forever.

Foreman took one look at her neck and gently kissed her throat, pausing at the dog tags. "This is...interesting," he said, noting its function.

"A gift from House," Angel said, fingering it with affection. "I thought that was really sweet of him." Foreman smiled and shook his head.

"You certainly know how to work your magic on people. I don't think I've ever seen House interact with anyone else like he does with you, except for Wilson, maybe." She shrugged.

"You're not jealous are you? Because there's only one man I have my eye on," Angel said coyly, then crawled into Foreman's lap.

"Mmm. Should I put dinner in the fridge for later?" Foreman wondered if she had other ideas on how to spend their time right now. He liked the way things were heating up out here.

"I guess it depends on what you're hungry for," she purred into his ear. With a deep chuckle, Foreman lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom. Gingerly he set her down, but she still let out a stifled gasp and blanched.

"Angel? Where does it hurt?" Foreman asked calmly.

"My whole left side," Angel replied, indicating her surgery sites and ribs.

"Let me get your meds," he said, noting it was well past the time she should have had some. He quickly gave her a shot of morphine and she closed her eyes in relief. "It's really important we do your meds on schedule, especially now."

Angel looked up at him. "What do you mean, especially now?"

Foreman sat next to her. "The cancer and chemo will cause pain. If you let it gang up on you, it's hard to control." He hated seeing her fear return, so far from the passion she was feeling moments ago.

He crawled into bed on the other side of her, and wrapped himself around the places that didn't hurt. She smiled for a moment, and then looked into his eyes. "Eric, I'm scared." She tucked her head against his shoulder and began to sob, though she no longer felt pain.

"Shh baby I know you're scared. I'm here. I'm going to be here with you through this. I won't tell you not to be scared. Just remember when you think you can't do it, I'll be strong for you." Eric stroked her hair, squeezing her hand.

"But...what if I die? Do you want to be with me?" He handed her a tissue, even though he didn't care if she was crying all over his shirt.

"I would rather be with you for a short time than to not be with you at all. In fact…the more I think about it….I think we should make this living arrangement more…permanent. At least until you're done with your chemotherapy." Foreman hoped he wasn't pushing too hard but the next several months were going to be brutal. And while home nurses were available, she needed someone to care for her, not just watch her.

Angel lifted her head and looked at him like he had three heads; she began to giggle. "I think it's the morphine, but I could have sworn you just said you wanted us to live together?"

"Not the drugs. I'm serious. You're going to need home care eventually….wouldn't you rather have a cute guy like me?" She gaped at him.

"You're serious! Why would you want to take care of me round the clock? Eric, I know you like me and that you care about me, but what you're talking about is a serious commitment on your part. I don't get it." Angel could not wrap her brain around this.

Foreman gently took her hand in his. "Angel, my mom died of Alzheimer's. I wasn't around much, but when I was, I saw the caring and devotion that my father gave her. I know we've known each other only a short time, but….I just know. My heart is telling me that you need me and that I should do this. Please, let me do this for you." He kissed her hand and put it up to his cheek.

"I need to think about this, Eric. I am so honored but…it's a huge leap for me, especially after having so many things thrown at me today. I mean, this is a good thing," Angel quickly added, feeling so torn and not wanting to hurt his feelings. She let out a sigh and looked away. "Eric, the last time I lived with a guy…it…didn't end well. I know you're not that kind of man, far from it, but…"Angel hesitated, finally able to look at him.

"It's okay. I understand. Take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere," Foreman said, kissing her forehead. Her eyes were starting to grow heavy; he knew the morphine must be hitting full force. "I'll put dinner in the fridge; you get some rest." She smiled at him as he covered her with the quilt. After he returned from the kitchen, he laid down next to her, just barely stroking her hair. She sighed in her sleep; to Foreman, it was a sound of contentment and he couldn't contain a smile.

XXXXX

Foreman got up with Angel a few times that night, for medication, to coax her to eat just a little, and from the bad dreams he expected. Each time he renewed his determination that he wanted to be the one to get Angel through all this. He did question his motives…._Am I making up for not looking out for my brother? Or not going to visit Mama enough? Was Remy right, do I just want to fix people?_ But in his gut, Foreman felt this was a different calling.

Angel awoke the next morning completely disoriented after having been in the hospital so long and waking next to a sleeping Foreman. She had a hint of a smile on her face as she watched him sleep. He'd taken his shirt off at some point; as much as she wanted to stroke his chest and arms with her fingers, she resisted, knowing neither of them had slept very well.

A wave of emotions hit her hard enough to nearly knock the breath out of her. Cancer. Chemo. Bone Marrow Transplant. And now a boyfriend and possibly living together? But as she watched him sleep, Angel felt a calmness go through her, unlike any she'd known in a long time. Was this what he meant when he said it just felt right? She was tired of tackling everything on her own—and that was just normal life. She knew him. She trusted him. She was about to face this curse and she didn't want to be alone with strangers. Could they really make this work?

Foreman almost sensed he was being watched, and opened his eyes; Angel was embarrassed having been caught watching him sleep. He smiled. "Nice way to wake up in the morning," he murmured, gently laying his arm across her. Angel snuggled up against him, liking the feeling of his warmth.

"Mmm I have to say I agree," she said, giving a quick kiss. "Eric, I've been thinking about your offer..." She saw his grin grow wider. "Now, I'm not saying yes…but have you really thought this out about how you'd make this work, between taking care of me and your duties at the hospital?"

Foreman nodded, all serious now. "This week you'll be sore from the bone marrow aspiration but you should be ok. I've worked overtime, so on the day you don't have chemo, I am sure I can work it out with Cuddy to have the day off or work at home. The rest of your chemo cycle, we'll have to use a home nurse, but we'll interview them so you get someone you're happy with. And I'll try to arrange for half days, or shorter days so I can be with you as much as possible. How does that sound?" He asked, hesitantly.

Angel thought for a minute. "It sounds good but…what if I'm up all night sick? You have to be able to work the next day."

She had a point. "Well...if it comes to that, we might have to use a night nurse from time to time."

"Then why do this? Why put yourself through all this?" Angel was still baffled.

"What I'd be going through is far less than you. And besides, I don't think the night nurse will crawl in bed with you and stroke your hair," Foreman said with a gentle smile, brushing a few strands of hair back from her face. She blushed.

"And when I don't have hair?" Now he knew she was just giving him a hard time.

"Then I'll just have to kiss you or perhaps…stroke other things." Angel turned positively crimson and looked down with a laugh.

Foreman and Angel stayed there in each other's arms, just enjoying the silence. He thought she was falling back asleep when she said, quietly, "I realize there are things I don't know about you, but….there are things you really don't know about me. Things that might change your mind."

"Somehow I seriously doubt that, but I'm listening," Foreman reassured her.

Angel told him everything she had shared with House, Wilson and Hadley. Her memory loss, name change, moving around, history with abusive men. "And you already know about me being a stripper and my son." She let out a sigh and waited.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this but I agree with House. Angel, you're a good person. They way you are with people, the way you talk about your son….someone planted that terrible idea in your head. In my mind, nothing has changed how I feel about you. Except maybe that I want to care for you even more, show you how much you deserve it." Foreman held her and kissed her tenderly. When he looked at her, Angel's eyes were filled with tears.

"What are you thinking?" he asked her. "Anything about me you want to ask?"

Angel shook her head. "I talked with Remy about you." She laughed through her tears at his panicked look. "Don't worry it was all good. She had some nice things to say about you. I…..I just don't know that I've done anything to deserve someone like you."

"You don't have to do anything, or be a certain way. I care about you for who you are, just like this. If you're still not sure. It's okay." He brushed his hand across her cheek and down her arm until they intertwined their fingers. He kissed her hand and then got up to make breakfast.

XXXXX

"Good almost afternoon," greeted Wilson, reading the paper, as House came into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out a plate of his favorite waffles.

"Foreman call?" House asked, waiting for them to warm in the microwave.

"Noooooo. But if you're concerned about Angel, the telephone isn't much harder to use than the microwave." Wilson glanced over the top of his paper as House sat at the table.

"I'm not concerned." He dug into a waffle after drowning it in syrup. Wilson raised an eyebrow.

"Right. Because you normally like to talk to Foreman on the weekends. My mistake." Wilson hid his smile behind the paper as House just grunted in irritation.

Wilson was not about to let this go. "House, if you're attracted to Angel—"

"I'm not attracted to her! Geez, Wilson, stop reading into everything!" House glared at him, especially now that he'd wolfed down his last waffle.

"Who are you and what have you done with House? Since when are you not attracted to beautiful women?" House didn't answer. Wilson's amusement changed when he actually took the plate to the sink, rinsed it, and put it in the dishwasher. "House?"

"Wilson, just drop it, okay?" House sounded tired.

"You're not attracted to her, but you are concerned." Wilson knotted up his forehead, trying once more to decipher House's motive.

"I found some news clippings about her as a child." His eyes met Wilson's and Wilson didn't like what he saw: fear and sadness crowded out the anger from yesterday.

Wilson sat the paper down and walked over to the table. "That bad?" House opened his laptop, and then looked away. What Wilson read turned his blood ice cold. He felt the urge to be sick. "My god…"

"How can there be a god who would let this happen to a child? No wonder she's repressed 10 years of memories." Wilson could have sworn he saw House's eyes get watery.

"You care for her," Wilson said softly. House nodded silently.

House pulled up another page. Wilson let out a soft gasp. A tall man with dark brown hair was pictured. His hair was short, cropped. He had ice blue eyes, unshaven, and was standing with a cane. He had a hint of a smile. "H-he looks like you two could be related! House…?"

"Mórai. Her grandfather."


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

If Angel had been afraid that Foreman would spend the day pressuring her for an answer, it was quickly forgotten. He amused her by watching chick flicks without complaining, playing some card games, listening to her favorite music—and introducing her to his. The couple danced slowly in her living room, "gentle exercise" as Foreman called it, making her laugh. Though most were unfamiliar to her, she lit up when Etta James' "At Last" came on, and she sang along with her head against Foreman's chest.

When the song finished, Foreman pulled back, looking at her with awe. Angel looked a bit unsure. "Um, something wrong?"

"Not at all. Angel, you have an amazing voice! Where'd you learn to sing like that?" She shrugged, a bit bashful and sat on the couch.

"Nowhere really. Sometimes I'd sing at the strip club, other times I'd do karaoke or open-mic nights. Just a hobby, never earned much from it." Secretly she was pleased that Foreman liked it.

"You are good, really. We should go out sometime; there are some clubs like that around here. I bet the rest of the team would love to hear you." Angel started protesting.

"No, I couldn't…" She studied Foreman's face. "Really? You mean it? I just thought I was okay."

He sat next to her, holding both hands. "Seriously. You have an incredible talent. To go along with other incredible things," he whispered before he began kissing her lips, trailing his kisses down her neck to her collarbone. She draped her arms over his shoulders, and he kissed the inside of her arm. She let out a sigh when he got to the soft skin inside her elbow, and again at her wrist. Angel stroked his cheek, and then he began to kiss each fingertip, ending with kissing the top of her hand. "Do I need to convince you anymore?" he said in a low husky voice.

Angel shook her head, her deepening blue eyes half-closed in contentment. She stood, still holding his hand, and started walking backward to the bedroom, gently tugging his arm. "You sure you're up for this?" Foreman asked, a hint of concern edging in.

Angel quickly took her meds. "Now I am." She sat on the bed; Foreman stood between her legs, fingering through her hair, caressing her cheeks. He took off his shirt quickly and liked seeing the smile on Angel's face turn into a grin. Her yearning from this morning was granted; slowly she ran her fingers across the skin of his chest, then down his arms, pausing at his biceps. "I must confess, I have a thing for biceps," she purred, winking at him. She began to knead his muscles with her fingertips; he closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the massage.

She began to tug at his sweatpants. "Mmm, a boxer brief man. I like," Angel said, breathing harder, as she ran her hands across his tight ass and thighs. "Perhaps you'd like to join me in bed?" Foreman didn't need to be asked twice.

He had noticed that she wasn't wearing a bra, due in part to the lymph node biopsy under her left arm. Foreman had tried his best not to stare at her all afternoon, but when he thought she wasn't looking, he drank in the sight of her curvy breasts. And thank goodness for cold weather, he decided, nipples hard as he had brushed against them while dancing….

Foreman began kissing her, starting at her temple and working his way down her face, ever so slowly. His hands began moving from her shoulders down to her breasts, full and firm, nipples taut. Both sighed with pleasure. Her hands continued the massage from before, enjoying the feel of his chest and back, pulling him closer to her body. He got to the hem of her shirt, and gently stroked the skin of her belly. She drew a sharp breath, but a look at her face told him it was pleasure, not pain.

He moved his hands up her shirt until he was cupping her breasts. Angel moaned softly into his neck, feathering it with kisses and gentle nips, making him moan in return. Slowly she sat up and took off her t-shirt, feeling nervous and delicious at the same time. The look in his eyes gave her goose bumps as she crawled against him, rubbing her bare breasts against his chest. Foreman let out a groan this time; if she had any doubt how much he wanted her, his body was giving her more than enough evidence. She loved how hot he felt against her entire body, how safe she felt in his muscular arms.

Foreman started kissing her on the lips slowly but firmly as his hands helped her out of her sweatpants, leaving her in just a lacy bikini. She blushed at his grin, which was soon buried in her cleavage, nuzzling one breast, then the other, gently nibbling on her nipples. Angel arched her head back as her breath caught in a shivery sigh. Her hips arched upward on their own accord; Foreman rested his head against one breast as he closed his eyes and whispered her name. He was barely able to control his body as his hips followed suit and he rubbed against her. The heat down there was almost more than he could stand anymore, after wanting her for so long.

"Eric, I, um, have—" Her blushing gave it all away as he put a finger to her lips.

"I came prepared." He almost laughed at her shocked grin but kissed her instead. Angel began tugging off his briefs, hesitantly exploring him with her hands. He knelt in front of her, unable to tear his eyes away from her face. The more she stroked, the harder his breath heaved in his chest. Foreman carefully removed her bikini, not wanting to rub against any of her tender areas from surgery. She watched him, her eyes half closed, and saw the care he was giving her, nearly bringing a tear to her eye. Angel had been afraid of more pain, but he had shown her in so many ways that she need not worry.

Foreman was quick about putting on a condom. As he settled his body against hers once more, he whispered "Is this ok? I'm not hurting you?" She shook her head and wrapped her legs around his. Slowly he began to rock against her, and she matched his rhythm, feeling her heart flutter like a dozen butterflies. Her moans and whimpers grew louder until she begged him, "Eric, please make love to me."

He entered her tortuously slow. She began to flick her tongue into his mouth, trying not to pant from pure wanting. They began their lovemaking, slow, then more urgently. Angel cried out his name with her climax, burying her head against his chest and whimpering with each contraction. Foreman could hold out no longer, fighting the urge to use all his strength to satisfy his desire for fear of hurting her. His orgasm was no less amazing, Foreman moaning "Angel, baby," as they sank into each others' arms, Foreman planting gentle kisses across her face and stroking her hair.

Angel made happy little sighing sounds as he pulled the blanket up over them. Foreman kissed the top of her head and kept running his fingers through her hair. "Eric…what happens when I'm too sick to do this?" His heart wrenched at how sad she sounded.

"Then we just hold each other. I'm not going to leave you because you're too ill to make love," he reassured her, looking into her eyes. "And when you have no hair to stroke, I'll rub the top of your head, just like you do to me. Don't get me wrong, that was incredible." Both chuckled, Angel blushed. "But I cared about you before we made love. I'll miss it, but I'm not going anywhere. You have to trust me."

"I trust you," Angel whispered, and meant it with all her heart. She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes with a smile on her face.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

"Eric, I don't know about this. I….haven't done this in a long time. What if I freeze while performing?" Angel tried to stop her hands shaking.

"Angel, you'll be fine. You were great yesterday. I know this is different but….what do you have to lose?" Eric held her hands, rubbing them.

"Oh, let's see, my pride, my dignity? Not to mention embarrassing myself in front of you," she said, her eyes filled with worry.

"I won't force you to do this, you know that. But I think it will be good for you. Trust me." Foreman looked deep into her eyes and saw her smile, then nod. "Atta girl. Ready?"

Angel sighed. "If this doesn't go well, you are sleeping outside tonight," she teasingly growled at him.

XXXXX

Angel gripped her music in her hands backstage at the Java Buzz Buzz club. Foreman was rubbing her back, telling her he'd have to take his seat soon. "What if I throw up?" Angel looked at him, eyes wide.

"Well, then they'll never forget your name," he teased, earning him a light smack on his arm. "I've got to go." He gave her a sweet kiss on her cheek and then left.

Angel closed her eyes, taking deep breaths, remembering the thrill she used to have doing this. She felt proud that Foreman thought so much about her singing he'd gone to all this trouble to arrange a slot at open mic night. She blushed just thinking about him.

The stagehand told her to take her place onstage. She gave the pianist her music and adjusted the microphone, waiting anxiously for the curtain to open. The emcee announced her name; she heard the crowd applaud and was momentarily stunned by the bright lights. When her eyes adjusted, her first thought was: _I'm going to kill Eric._

Sitting at the tables in the front was everyone she knew at PPTH, grinning and cheering her on. Foreman looked at her and mouthed "you can do this". She laughed and nodded at the pianist. With every nerve she had, she poured her heart into "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". The first stanza, she only had eyes for her man; she relaxed, her voice soared and as she looked around, she could see smiles and nods. Before she knew it, she was done. The room filled with applause, and her friends stood for an ovation.

Now that it was over, her legs were like jelly as she went to the table, getting hugs and accolades from all sides. Foreman wrapped his arms around her, giving her a long kiss. "I knew you could do it; you were fabulous, Angel."

"You are…..in so much trouble right now…" Angel laughed, shaking her head, but kissing him back. As she looked around at her friends and their pleased faces, Angel couldn't help shedding some happy tears.

"Angel that was awesome!" Chase said over the noisy crowd. "Way better than when me, Foreman and House did Karaoke." Angel whipped her head around, giving Foreman the evil eye.

"You didn't tell me that you sing," she accused, poking him gently in the chest.

He tried to look innocent and failed miserably. "Um, oops?"

Hadley laughed, "You are so busted! Angel that was lovely." She gave Angel a tight hug, eyes and smile sparkling.

Cuddy came over and hugged her as well. "You definitely must sing for the annual fundraiser! I hate to run but Rachel's not feeling well. Great job, and good luck tomorrow." Angel squeezed her hand and promised she'd participate.

Angel gave Taub and his wife Rachel hugs as well. "It's so wonderful to finally meet you," Rachel said. "Chris talks about you quite a bit. You and Eric will have to come for dinner sometime."

"I can't even begin to tell you how much the quilt means to me. And the pleasure is mine. Chris has been so kind to me." Angel said, her smile making him put on a "aw shucks" smile.

"I wish I had your talent," he mused. Angel's face got very serious as she took both of his hands.

"Your talent helped save my life. I will never forget that." Rachel looked proudly at her husband.

Wilson kissed her cheek, happy to see her so relaxed and enjoying herself. "You were…marvelous! Angel….wow." He grinned so hard his dimples were showing. She hugged him tightly. "You ready for tomorrow?" Both faces fell a bit. She bit her lip and nodded. "It's going to be fine. Promise."

Shyly, Angel looked over at House. He'd been sitting, watching everyone lavish her with praise, as she well deserved. House gave her a warm smile, making her blush. To everyone's surprise, he took her hand and kissed it. "Well done."

"Thanks for coming House; it means a lot to me," she replied, still looking downward and blushing. She turned to everyone. "It means so much you all are here tonight. I'm really….lucky to have you all as…friends," Angel said, her voice breaking up. She buried her face in Foreman's chest after flashing a smile to him, and cried.

A gentleman came up and cleared his throat. "Ms. Hoffman?" She turned, quickly wiping her eyes. "I'm the owner here, and I wanted to say what a great job you did. Your boyfriend explained your condition when he booked the time slot and tables. When you're better, I'd like to offer you a job singing a couple of nights a week. My customers would enjoy it, I'm sure." He kindly shook her hand and gave her a business card. "Just give me a call when you're ready. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

Angel stood in shock as her friends cheered. "Hey, you're still going to be my assistant aren't you?" House asked, his voice all business, but his eyes giving him away.

"You bet." He smiled and nodded at her answer. "I can't believe he wants me to sing…a real job!" She was still stunned.

"I told you baby, you're that good," Foreman held her in his arms, then ignoring his coworkers, gave Angel a long, tender kiss. There was no doubt left in their minds where the two of them stood as a couple. "I am so proud of you." That brought on a fresh wave of tears.

"Never had anyone say that to me before," Angel confessed.

"Hey could we go eat before I lose my appetite with all this romantic mushy stuff?" House interjected, making everyone laugh. Following everyone out the door, House secretly smiled, seeing Angel so happy. There were a lot of unpleasant, unhappy things ahead of her, and he wanted her to have every second of pleasure she could.

XXXXX

Driving home, Angel beamed, still basking in the glow of the evening. "Eric, thank you. I…can't begin to tell you how wonderful this evening was. And how much you mean to me." Foreman glanced over at her with a smile, and kissed her hand.

"I didn't realize how many friends I have who really care, or how brave I was, or….how much you care for me. I've decided I want to take you up on your offer." Foreman held his breath, hoping she meant what he thought. "I want you to live with me. And…maybe not just while I'm going through chemo."

As they walked up to her apartment, holding hands, Foreman said, "I just want you to be comfortable with your decision."

The moment the door was closed behind them, Angel pressed her body hard against his, kissing him passionately. "I'm quite comfortable with this arrangement," she replied, with a sexy smile on her face.

Foreman returned the sentiment by scooping her up in his arms and carrying her to the bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Remy Hadley began inserting the IVs Angel would need for the extraction procedure. "I still can't get over how great you were," she said, both sincerely and trying to get Angel's mind off the upcoming procedure.

Angel beamed again. "Thanks, I'm so glad you were there. And….Eric and I are going to be living together." Hadley's eyes were wide and thoughtful as she nodded slowly. "I know, it's fast and out of the blue but…it feels right. What are you thinking Remy?"

Hadley thought a minute before answering. "If you feel comfortable, then that's what matters. I have to say, looking at him last night, watching you sing….he's falling in love with you. He never looked at me like that. Do you love him?"

Angel fiddled with the bed sheet on the gurney. "I….I'm not sure. When I was with James, I fell hard and fast and I think that scared him a bit. I don't want to make the same mistake with Eric. He makes me happy, makes me feel safe. I've never been with anyone like him before," Angel confessed, both women smiling.

"Well, looking at you, I'd say you're falling for him too," Hadley insisted, making Angel blush hard. "Ok, I'm going to give you a dose of happy juice to help you relax, and Dr. Wilson and I will be ready for you soon."

Almost immediately, Angel felt warm and giddy. "Pretty soon, all of you will have done a procedure on me," she laughed. Hadley gave her a quick squeeze then went to scrub up.

Angel wasn't alone long; Wilson and Foreman came in. "Ready for this, gorgeous?" Wilson leaned over, kissing Angel on the cheek. Despite their past, Foreman felt no jealousy. Every ounce of love and support she could get was fine by him. Angel nodded, a bit drunk on the sedative.

"I'll be waiting when you get done, Angel." Foreman gave her a long, loving kiss, then a smile. Deep inside he wanted to tell her how he really felt but there would be time for that.

He squeezed her hand before the nurses wheeled her to the OR. Hadley gave her the anesthesia and in a flash she was out. Foreman went up to the gallery to watch and found he wasn't alone; House was up there, drinking coffee, looking over some material on his laptop.

"Does she have an appointment with Nolan yet?" House tried to keep any emotion from his voice.

"Tomorrow. Wilson thought she'd be sore and groggy today." He glanced over at House who was focusing more on his laptop than the surgery.

"Good. The sooner the better." They were mostly quiet for the rest of the procedure but Foreman couldn't help thinking over House's words.

XXXXX

The procedure was textbook; they removed about 2 quarts of bone marrow from Angel's hip and would later extract the stem cells, freeze them, and then infuse them after chemo was done. Based on her past awakenings, House sat by in her room, waiting to see if "Anna" would return. Mercifully for all, she did not.

Angel whimpered softly in pain as House adjusted her meds. Foreman got a warm pack for her hip and sat holding her hand. Hadley and Wilson kept checking back throughout the late morning waiting for her to wake.

The allergy tests came back with good news—no allergies to any of the medications they might use during chemo. Wilson was glad House had the foresight to give her the necklace, just in case.

Being awake for too long proved to be too painful for Angel. House left orders with the nurses, should Foreman be unavailable, to keep her comfortable throughout the night.

XXXXX

The next morning, Angel was still a little groggy, her hip sore, but better than she thought. Foreman slipped her in some decent breakfast. She still looked too pale to him, but seemed in better spirits. She was nervous about her appointment with Dr. Nolan but decided to have a private session.

"I hope you understand Eric; I'm not trying to hide anything…" Angel tried to explain.

"Hey, it's ok. I'll be outside if you need me, and it's alright that you want it to be one on one." He gave her a quick kiss when they heard a knock. Foreman shook hands with Dr. Nolan and excused himself.

Dr. Nolan entered with a warm smile and a notepad, and sat by Angel's bedside. His handshake made her feel relaxed. "I'm Dr. Nolan. May I call you Angel?" She nodded, suddenly shy.

"Angel, do you know why Dr. House wanted me to see you?" She found his eyes watching her, but she felt herself growing at ease with him.

"He believes I have battered women's syndrome." She hated her voice sounded so shaky and embarrassed.

"Do you know what that is?" Angel nodded. "Do you believe you have it?" Slowly Angel nodded and looked away.

"Angel, I'm here to help, not to judge. I'll listen, offer suggestions, but ultimately you choose what you want out of therapy. I know it's hard, but try to relax." His soft but firm voice gave her another boost.

"What makes you think you have this?" He was barely writing notes.

"I…used to think it was normal for guys to beat me up. I figured it was something I said, or did, like say I was too tired if they, um, wanted sex. Remy was the first person to tell me it wasn't normal. I figured she was just lucky, but then House, James and Eric convinced me because they didn't hit me. James was the first man I've ever been with who wasn't abusive." Even though what she was saying felt so horrible, Angel found it easier to talk to Dr. Nolan.

"Ok, so before, why did you think it was ok for guys to hit you?"

"I just thought that….I was….bad somehow. And they knew it. I have nightmares where this voice tells me that I'm bad, or evil, that I hurt or kill the people I love, that bad things are my fault," Angel said, feeling her voice choking up.

"Now, I know this may be a delicate subject, but you brought up being too tired for sex. What would happen then?" Nolan looked concerned

Angel found her mouth had gotten very dry. Nolan handed her some water. "Sometimes the guy would hit me, or….he'd have sex with me anyway."

"Did you ever say no, or stop?" Angel nodded her head. "Angel what they did was wrong. That was rape."

She looked shocked and shook her head. "I was dating them. They weren't strangers."

Nolan gently took her hand and said, "If you say no, it means no. It doesn't matter if it's a boyfriend, date, or spouse. Rape is rape. Do you understand?" Angel looked away again, tears in her eyes, and nodded.

They sat quietly for a few minutes, Nolan jotting a few notes, Angel trying to collect herself. "It…makes sense…" she finally said.

"How so?"

"I was a stripper by the time I was 16. When I was 19 I was raped and got pregnant. But I kept my son, it wasn't his fault. I never told anyone then what happened. I guess that's why I accepted it as normal later." Angel carefully looked at Nolan, not sure what she'd see.

"That's good insight and could very well be the reason. Let's go back a bit. Why were you on your own at such a young age?" Angel felt her chest get tight.

"I don't remember anything before I was 15 and woke up on the streets." Nolan's eyes were filled with compassion. He'd heard this and other things from House prior to today, but he was moved by the hardships she'd faced. "A dancer at the club took me in. I caught on to dancing quickly so…" Angel shrugged.

"Did you like stripping?" As he promised, there was no look of judgment on his face.

She nodded and shrugged a bit. "It was okay; I made a lot of money. The ladies were like my family." Nolan cocked his head like he was waiting for more. "I don't know…it made me feel….strong. I know why they were there, but when I stepped on the stage, and they watched me, I had control over them. I don't know…maybe that sounds wrong."

Nolan shook his head. "No, actually that's a very apt description. Many published articles mention those same feelings reported by strippers and prostitutes." Angel's face got angry.

"I wasn't a hooker! I never had sex for money," she vented.

Nolan held his hands up to placate her. "Angel I never meant to insinuate you were."

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude," Angel said, her eyes wide, feeling mortified.

"Anger is an acceptable emotion. You don't have to apologize. You're going to feel a range of emotions in therapy. I can handle it, trust me." He smiled while she took a deep breath.

"You mentioned your son. I know from Dr. House that he passed away a few years ago. That must have been incredibly difficult for you." Angel's eyes filled with tears.

"Until recently I blamed myself for his death. I was his mom; I mean….maybe I should have gone to his biological father for money…" She took the tissue that Nolan offered.

"Did he know that you got pregnant after he raped you?"

Angel shook her head quickly. "I was so afraid he'd take him from me. But….maybe he wouldn't have died." She let out a ragged sigh.

"Do you really think your son would have been better off with a rapist than with you?" Hearing the words come from Nolan shocked her and she again shook her head.

"Dr. House found his medical charts that said his death wasn't my fault. But until then…"

"You blamed yourself. Perhaps you even thought you should be punished. Your son didn't get help, therefore you didn't deserve help when someone hurt you. Dr. House even said you initially were going to refuse treatment for your cancer. What could you possibly have done in your life to deserve these things?" Angel had to look away again; Nolan's piercing eyes could see far inside her and it was unnerving.

"I-I don't know. But it must be something terrible if I can't remember part of my life," she said quietly. "I'm scared to remember."

"So afraid that you changed your name. Angel, would you say that you're a relatively good person now? Forget what the nightmares say."

"I think so. Is that okay for me to think that?" She felt embarrassed again, like she was bragging about herself.

"That's perfectly fine. Having a healthy self-esteem is a good thing. If you're a good person now, what makes you think you weren't a good person during the time in your life you can't remember?"

"Maybe I'm trying to make up for bad things I did?" Nolan pursed his lips and shook his head.

"I don't think so. The woman I'm looking at is intelligent, insightful, has friends who care about her, a devoted boyfriend….people don't change overnight, especially when they don't know who they were beforehand." Angel thought about this, long and hard.

"I think this is a good place for us to stop today. I know we covered a lot of things. I'd like you to get a journal and write whatever you like in it. You don't have to show it to me if you don't want to, or you can jot down things you want to discuss in therapy. That is, if you'd like to continue?" Nolan stood, with a hopeful smile on his face.

"Yes, I would. Dr. House was right," Angel said, amused how Nolan's eyebrow's shot up. "He said you were nice and caring."

"Hmm. Interesting. Now I know next week you start chemo. We'll work around how you're feeling. It was a pleasure to meet you, Angel," Nolan said, shaking her hand.

Angel looked at him hesitantly. "Dr. Nolan? I don't know if this is ok or not but….can I give you a hug?" Nolan was taken aback for a moment then gently embraced her. He grinned after. "I just want to say thank you. I was scared you'd think I was crazy or something and you helped me make sense of some things today. I'm very grateful."

"You're quite welcome. You take care, and if you need to call me at any time, please do so. Goodbye, Angel," Nolan said, leaving with a warm grin, feeling quite the opposite as he did after a session with House.

House and Wilson were waiting for Nolan in the conference room. "Well?" House asked impatiently.

"The session went nicely. But you know I can't discuss the contents of our session. You'd have to ask her about it." Nolan was not surprised to see House glare at him.

Wilson tried to keep this from getting out of hand. "Do you have any reason to believe she has DID?"

Nolan shook his head. "Although her younger self has made contact with House, and she has repressed memories, I don't think she fits the criteria for multiple personalities. She doesn't appear to have blackouts currently, and she has faced some rather stressful events where an alter would typically appear."

"What about the information we do have now? I have someone looking into more," House said, temporarily calm again.

"Lucas?" Wilson asked.

"Cuddy's Lucas?" Nolan looked surprised.

"Yes, that Lucas," House said, agitated again.

"Well, I think I agree with Dr. Wilson. With her upcoming chemo, telling her she was severely abused as a child could impede her recovery. If her memories begin to come on her own, or if she's eager to work on it during therapy, then I can try hypnotherapy to minimize the impact, and keep her from feeling overwhelmed. All at once would be disastrous, in her condition." Nolan gazed at House, who looked away, uncomfortable.

"You've connected to her, House. Why?" Nolan pressed. House looked annoyed.

"This isn't my therapy session," House deflected.

Nolan shrugged. "Just curious." He stood up to leave. "I gave Angel instructions to call me if necessary. If you think she's having a rough time, and tries to tough it out, let me know."

XXXXX

Foreman got in line behind Hadley in the cafeteria. "How's Angel doing?" she asked.

"Pretty good. I think Wilson's going to keep her one more night but we'll see. My big challenge is keeping her mind off next week." Hadley nodded sympathetically.

"You know, you should take her somewhere. A mini-vacation. I don't see why Wilson wouldn't allow it as long as you weren't too far from the hospital." He looked thoughtful and she smiled. "She told me she's never seen the ocean."

"It's a little too cold for swimming," Foreman said with a chuckle.

"I know this great Bed & Breakfast, Calypso, about an hour from here, on the beach. She'd love it," Hadley said, as they paid for their meals.

"Thanks, I'll look it up tonight." He smiled and headed to Angel's room with lunch.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

Angel's first mission when she was discharged was a visit to a hair salon. She had decided to get her long mane of hair cut short. Foreman was stunned until she explained. "I'd rather my hair go to Locks of Love than cancer. This way I'm making a choice of what happens to it, and it goes to help kids."

When she emerged an hour later, she was a bundle of nerves, wondering what Foreman would think. Slowly he ran his fingers through it, soft, feathery, a cute pixie cut. "I like it," he assured her. "Plus, it shows off your neck more which you know I find irresistible," he said as he nuzzled her bare neck, sending a wave of goose bumps over her body.

"Promise me something Eric?" She looked up at him, her eyes matching the overcast sky. He nodded. "When I start losing my hair, I-I want you to shave my head for me."

"You know it might not happen," he said, hoping against the odds.

"I know but….just promise." She was determined and he couldn't say no.

XXXXX

After getting Wilson's blessing, he announced to her the next day that he had a big surprise for her; she was to pack warm casual clothing for 2 days. The look on her face made him smile and laugh, she was over-the-top excited. "What is it?" Angel asked, nearly bouncing off the couch.

"Do you not understand the meaning of surprise?" He laughed again when she pouted. "Just be ready to leave tomorrow morning." She gave him a giant kiss before he left for work and decided to go out and buy him a gift.

She was tired and sore after but pleased and just bursting with excitement. It took her a good part of the afternoon to pack as she debated on each item carefully. When it came to pajamas, she found some tucked in the back of her closet. Why she'd gotten it and never worn it, she didn't know, but she knew it was perfect, and folded it carefully next to her pink robe. Angel didn't know how she would sleep tonight. But her shopping trip caused enough pain to warrant a morphine shot, so she drifted off happily in Foreman's arms.

XXXXX

"Why do I have to wear the blindfold?" Angel groused, not really irritated with Foreman but impatient.

He chuckled. "So it's a complete surprise. You act like you've never had a surprise in your life." His smile faded with one look into her eyes. She was looking down, biting her lip.

"I-I really haven't. Not good ones anyway. I mean Connor was, and things in the past few months, you and James, but….it's the same for gifts. I got baby gifts for Connor, but never celebrated things like my birthday or holidays." Her voice faded to a shamed whisper.

Foreman wrapped his arms around her tenderly and kissed her. "I intend on changing all that Angel. I'm still not going to tell you, but I have been assured you will love this." Angel now had a curious grin on her face but said no more. They got into the car; she dutifully put on the blindfold and squeezed his hand.

It wasn't long before Angel fell asleep. Foreman glanced over with a hint of a smile, listening to her slow breathing. Gently he placed his hand on her thigh and she let out a little sigh. Angel was tiring more easily and he wondered just how hard the cancer treatments were going to be on her, physically and emotionally. But this trip was bound to lift her spirits; Foreman was excited to see her face when they got there.

He caught a glimpse of his medical bag on the back seat in the rear view mirror. Wilson wanted him to bring along IV solution in case of dehydration, and some antibiotics. Any temperature over 99 that didn't respond warranted a trip back to PPTH. Between her immune system and kidneys, they had to take the extra precautions. But Wilson agreed this trip was just the kind of medicine Angel needed right now.

XXXXX

"Angel," Foreman said, patting her hand to rouse her. "You can take off the blindfold, we're almost there." He couldn't contain his grin.

Sleepily, she removed the blindfold and rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the brightness. One look out the window and she squealed. "The ocean! You brought me to the ocean! Eric!" She looked at him, eyes wide and shining and she planted a kiss on his cheek. Then she turned quickly and opened the window, flooding the car with icy air and the salty perfume of the ocean alongside the highway.

Foreman laughed out loud, "Angel, you're going to freeze us!" But she had her eyes trained on the water, taking in deep breaths of the air, never imagining how wonderful it would smell. Finally with a pout, she relented and rolled up the window, but her eyes never left the view. He saw a few tears on her cheeks and his heart felt full.

When they pulled into the Bed and Breakfast, she squealed and giggled again, and was out of the car before he had killed the ignition. She ran to the edge of the lot, rimmed with sea grass bending in the wind. There was a boardwalk that led down to the sand and Foreman knew she was just aching to keep going but she stood there in awe, looking at the expanse of water before her. She looked away only when he came over with her jacket, cap and scarf. She practically jumped into his arms, planting his face and lips with joyful kisses, then hugged him tightly. He could feel her heartbeat racing through her sweater.

"Thank you, oh, Eric…" She held him as she gazed over the ocean, a clouded blue-grey, matching her eyes. "How did you know…..Remy? She told you!" He nodded, and then looked curiously at her eyes.

"Your eyes…it's not my imagination…" he began. "They look just like the ocean…"

She blushed. "My eyes change color, yes. Everything from sky blue to dark grey. Sometimes with my mood, sometimes my surroundings. A veritable chameleon," she chuckled. "Now, are you going to get us checked in so we can go see my ocean?"

No amount of coaxing could bring her inside. Foreman didn't think he'd ever see anyone as happy as Angel. The warmth of the inn was welcome, and the smell of food cooking mixed with the seaside was inviting. A woman with silver hair stepped around the corner, dusting her hands on her apron. "Dr. Foreman? I'm Maggie. Welcome to Calypso," she said, shaking his hand. She glanced outside at Angel and then back to Foreman.

She pulled out a large register book for him to sign. "How long have you two been married?" she asked, her voice kind and musical. Foreman was too flustered to write his name.

"Uh, we're not married. Angel's my girlfriend." He felt his cheeks get hot.

"My mistake. I'm not usually wrong though. Hm. She looks happy," Maggie said with a wink.

"Her first time to the ocean. It was a surprise." Foreman filled out the registry, noting all the repeat customers, and dates ranging back decades.

"Any occasion? The flowers and bubbly are up in the room." It warmed her heart to see the loving glances Foreman made, keeping an eye on Angel.

He grew a bit more somber. "No special occasion. Angel has cancer and begins chemo next week." Maggie's face fell and she drew in a sharp breath. "She's going to be too ill to travel for several months."

Maggie placed her hand on Foreman's in a comforting squeeze. "I'm so very sorry. If there is anything I can do, don't hesitate to ask."

Foreman was touched by her kindness. There was something special about her, this place; he would be sure to thank Hadley when they returned. "I better try to drag her inside, at least to put on something warmer," he chuckled along with Maggie.

"Angel! You're going to freeze out here," Foreman gently scolded, seeing she hadn't even buttoned up her coat.

"It's wonderful out here!" she said, laughing above the roar of the waves. Then she turned to him and embraced him again. "You're wonderful."

"At least let's get on some warmer clothes. Okay?" Foreman tugged on her hand. She rolled her eyes and sighed but they each grabbed a bag and headed inside.

Angel was delighted to meet Maggie, and her cat Calypso, for whom the inn was named. "Actually Calypso the 3rd," Maggie explained, as Angel knelt to scratch the ears of the huge Maine Coon. Maggie's smile had a hint of sadness that only Foreman caught as they watched Angel with Calypso, who was deeply enjoying her affection with loud raspy purrs.

"Are you ready to see the room?" Foreman asked. He'd seen a photo on the website and Hadley was right, she was going to love it. Maggie told them the door was unlocked, head on up.

Angel let out a delicious sigh when they entered; it was truly meant for romance. He'd ordered pink roses and pink champagne to be ready for them. She buried her nose deeply into one of the buds. The cold had nipped at her cheeks, so they matched the blushing flowers. A fire was lit with a rocking chair in front. The four-poster King sized bed had an antique quilt, and there was a bay window that overlooked the ocean. Angel noticed assorted candles set about the mantel and dresser, even around the large bathtub.

After walking around the room in silent awe, she went to Foreman and wrapped herself around him. "This is…amazing Eric, truly. I don't know what to say." Foreman silenced her with a long passionate kiss and for a moment Angel forgot the call of the ocean outside. When they parted, her eyes glimmered with excitement.

"Okay, change and we'll go back out," Foreman relented; Angel clapped her hands and grabbed her suitcase. She did a quick striptease for him out of her lighter sweater into a thicker one. He was so tempted to pull her onto the bed and warm her up in other ways, but she would have none of it. Grabbing her cane in one hand and his in the other, she was practically dragging him down the stairs.

They walked hand in hand down the boardwalk, the only sounds being the surf and a few sea birds gliding in the wind. Angel couldn't get enough of the scent, wishing she could bottle it up. They stepped onto the sand; it was damp but only on the surface so Angel found trying to walk with her cane a bit useless as her feet sank into it. They hadn't walked far when she just stopped and looked out over the ocean, marveling in the swirling colors of blue, grey and green with ripples of white foam.

Foreman saw how truly mesmerized she was. "I've never seen anything so beautiful," she breathed in a half-whisper. He took her other hand and turned her to him, then cupped her face in his gloved hand.

"I have," he murmured then moved in to kiss her. She could taste the spray on his lips and ran her tongue over them lightly. Angel felt his heated breath against her mouth, making her cold skin tingle. Foreman took her one hand, holding it tight, and put it against his chest. Angel felt warm down to her toes from the look in his eyes. "Angel, I've wanted to tell you for a while now….I love you."

For a moment, Angel felt like she couldn't breathe, her eyes and mouth wide with his unexpected declaration. She wanted to speak, wanted to say something but just what? She'd tangled with this thought for awhile as well after talking to Hadley. Angel didn't want to echo his sentiments if she didn't mean it—she knew how hurt she felt with Wilson. But he was standing there, looking at her with so much love in his eyes; she had a lump in her throat that she couldn't just yet swallow.

In that split second, Angel saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes, but it was replaced by something else that she couldn't put her finger on. Foreman could see the struggle she was having and that was the last emotion he wanted her to have after finally telling her how he felt. "Angel, it's ok. You've been hurt enough times that you might not be sure how you're feeling about me. I know you care about me. That's enough. Honest."

Angel burst into tears and buried her face into his chest. "I'm so sorry Eric, you've been amazing and wonderful and I don't ever want to hurt you." The cold wind stung her face but she didn't care. The pain in her heart was worse.

"Shhh, Angel baby, it's ok. You haven't hurt me. It doesn't mean I'm going to stop loving you, or give up trying to win your heart," he tipped up her chin at this and gave her a wily grin, "but I am so happy to have you in my life. You've got nothing to be sorry about."

They found a bench and sat down, huddled together as the wind began to pick up. He wasn't sorry he had told her, but Foreman wished he could find every man that had hurt her and beat them. Angel loved him, he knew it in his gut; she was too frightened of her feelings to say so.

Foreman noticed she'd begun to shiver harder and looking paler. "Angel, I think it's time to go inside, maybe put the fireplace to good use." She looked defeated but nodded. Then, she got an impish look on her face. "What are you up to?" he asked warily.

Quickly, Angel pulled off her shoes and socks and rolled up the cuffs of her pants. "What are you doing? Angel?" Foreman gaped at her, wondering if she'd gone mad.

"I didn't come all this way not to get my feet wet in my ocean!" she giggled and dashed for the surf. She loved the feel of the sand slipping around her toes, the wet sand sucking them down, leaving little pools of water in her wake. When the first wave hit her skin, she howled with shock and glee. Some of the spray splashed up onto her face and she licked a few drops like it was a delicacy. After a few steps she could barely feel her feet and jogged back to Foreman who was laughing until his sides hurt.

"Your ocean, huh? You're nuts!" He helped her brush the sand off her feet so she could put her shoes and socks on. Foreman kissed her, deciding he too loved the taste of the ocean on her. They laughed all the way back to the inn, where Maggie met them, also laughing. She'd been watching from the kitchen window and shook her head.

"Young love," she informed Calypso as Foreman and Angel went upstairs. The cat gave a resounding meow that to Maggie's ears was a sign of agreement.

Angel sank into the rocker by the fire and just melted into the soft cushions. She soon stopped shivering from the cold, wiggling her bare feet until they felt toasty. Foreman sat in the bay window, watching her as her eyelids grew heavy. "How's the pain?" She sighed.

"It's there. But I think I'd better eat something first; I'm feeling a bit tired." Foreman knew she understated how she was feeling.

"Want me to bring some lunch up here?" Angel looked worried.

"Oh I don't want to seem rude and not eat downstairs," she said with concern.

"I'm sure Maggie will understand. She knows about people wanting privacy and time alone," Eric smiled, trying to convince her.

Angel looked at him with tired eyes. "You told her, didn't you." He nodded. Angel gazed into the fireplace, and then closed her eyes. "Ok, just something light though, and please give her my thanks."

After some delicious soup, bread, and fruit, Foreman gave Angel her medication. He was concerned by how pale she looked and again, how quickly she tired. He made a note to have her checked for anemia on Monday. She smiled as he tucked her into the bed under the quilt. "It's like sleeping on a cloud," she said with a yawn.

Angel convinced him he didn't need to stay with her, especially after Calypso pushed open the door and jumped up on the bed. Purring like a sports car, the cat curled up right next to Angel, nuzzling against her hand, giving it a few motherly licks. "See, I have company. Go enjoy yourself." Eric agreed, leaving the door ajar for the cat or in case Angel called for him.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

Angel awoke to a roughness on her cheek. Drowsy, she said, "Eric, you need to shave."

She heard a low chuckle across the room. "Baby, that's not me." Angel opened her eyes, staring nose to nose with Calypso, who swiped her cheek a few more times with her rough pink tongue.

Angel scratched around her ears. "That's some wakeup call," she sighed with a smile. "I never had a pet; this is kind of nice." Eric climbed onto the bed with her.

"Maggie said you definitely have a way about you—Calypso rarely sleeps with guests." He paused, looking at how happy Angel was with the cat. "Do you want to get a pet?"

Angel looked wistful. "I wish….but no. It wouldn't be fair for the animal until I got better. My stuffed duck Murry will have to do for now." She gazed out the window, forehead knitted together as she looked at the darkening skies.

"Did I really sleep that long?" Angel could hear the waves below, stronger.

"Storm rolling in," Foreman replied, thunder echoing his statement. Soon the sound of rain on the windowpanes came, sounding like bits of glass striking. Angel shivered at the sound though the room was warm. "Are you ready for dinner yet? Maggie said to just come down."

Any chill was quickly chased away by the smells in the small dining room. They insisted Maggie eat with them; Maggie couldn't refuse Angel's smile. They dined on le coq au vin, crusty fresh bread, creamy potatoes and hot cider. Angel was quickly disappointed to be so full when hearing there was crème brulee for dessert.

"I'll put it in the fridge, you just help yourself anytime." Angel gave her a kiss on the cheek as they retired to their room, stopping to nuzzle Calypso.

Foreman noticed Angel still shivering. "Why don't I run you a warm bath?" Angel smiled, gathering her nightclothes while she waited. When he said it was ready, Angel found the bathtub filled with pink bubbles, rose petals, and surrounded by flickering candles. She shooed him out while she undressed and sank into the tub with a heavenly sigh. He re-entered, gazing at her with a twinkle in his eye.

He took a washcloth from a shelf, dipped it into the hot water and gently washed her neck. He could see the slight steam rising from the tub and her damp skin, a flush spreading across her face. He tenderly caressed each cheek with the cloth, stopping to kiss them after. One by one, he took each arm and bathed it tenderly from shoulder to fingertips. Then he draped the cloth over the side of the tub and let his hand take over. All the while, Angel let out soft sighs, watching Foreman with gratefulness.

He trailed his wet fingers across her collarbone. Anything below that was hidden by the myriad of floral-scented bubbles. He dipped his hand down into the water and cupped one breast, rubbing his thumb across the nipple. Angel moaned, leaning her head back on a towel that he'd put down as a pillow. She closed her eyes breathing in the scents, enjoying his touch. As she arched back, the very top of her other breast floated above the bubbles, showing the rosy skin slick with soap and water. Foreman was mindful to pay attention to that breast too, eliciting a purr from Angel.

Foreman's hand wandered down further, her ribs, her taut belly. He took up the cloth again to wash her legs, hip to toes, massaging gently as he went. He watched the small rivulets of water trickle down from her knee among the goose bumps that were quickly rising, and lowered her leg back into the water. For a moment, he rested his head against the edge of the tub, watching her, happy, relaxed, and aroused. She opened her eyes, the edges of her lips curling upward, chest heaving a bit harder.

Slowly, starting at her ankle, he ran his fingers up her legs until he got to her thigh. Slower still, he pressed his hand in the cleft between her thighs, parting them, making her gasp with pleasure. He delicately traced the soft contours of her, outside, inside. Angel began to whimper, pressing her body against his hand. "Oh Eric," she softly cried.

"Not yet, my love," he replied, barely able to restrain himself after she whimpered louder. "Dry off. I have more for you." Her eyes finally opened, a mix of wanting and impatience, but she nodded. He stepped into the bedroom, leaving her to wonder as she hurriedly dried off and slipped on her pajamas.

Angel entered the bedroom, skin steaming from the bath, body aching from Foreman's massage. The fire was crackling, candles lit around the room. He had put down a few quilts on the floor along with some pillows, right in front of the fireplace. Champagne was poured into two flutes, and rose petals were scattered on the quilts and on the bed. Angel felt like weeping with pure joy. This wasn't her life; this was something from a story or a romantic movie.

But Foreman was not the only one with plans. "I have a gift for you," Angel said, taking a box from her suitcase, and handing it to him, as she sat next to him, feeling the delicious warmth from the fire on her damp skin. She was so happy from the look of surprise on his face. "You've given me so much, I wanted something for you," she said, ducking her head shyly.

Foreman opened it to find men's silk pajamas in a deep royal purple. "My place can get chilly sometimes…even with body heat," she added, blushing.

He kissed her warm lips, the smell of roses in her damp hair. "I love them; I suppose you want me to try them on?" She nodded. He slipped into the bathroom, and when he emerged, she blushed again. Not only did he take her breath away but she could see just how very much he wanted her. He sat near her again. "Mm now I know why you wear silk…speaking of which, what are you wearing under your robe?" He playfully tugged at the belt.

Angel stood, removing the pink robe he'd given her. She saw his eyes soften. Angel was wearing an Asian-style pajama set, the top, a black silk kimono with pink Japanese magnolias and a pink sash over black silk pants that clung to her still damp skin. Foreman let out a low whistle, making her giggle. He was on his feet in a heartbeat, wrapping his arms around her, pressing her body to his. "Just when I think you can't look more beautiful, you surprise me, Angel." They kissed until she had to part to breathe.

She started to shake but this time it wasn't the cold. "Eric, I have one more gift for you."

He began to protest, "Angel, really, just because I love spoiling you—" She covered his mouth with a few fingertips.

"Eric, I don't have much to give you. But I have something that's been yours for awhile. My heart. I love you too." Tears filled her eyes as she looked up at him, unsure of what he'd say.

"Oh, Angel, baby," he whispered, feeling like his chest would burst from happiness. They began to kiss urgently, laughing, crying, and wiping tears from each others' cheeks. They returned to their place in front of the fire, Foreman holding her hands, then pressing one to his heart.

"I-I was just so afraid when you said it this morning. I've lived my whole life afraid. And…..I decided I don't want to be afraid anymore, because you're worth it." Foreman handed her a glass and they both toasted to their love.

The storm outside seemed to rage all the more and with a lightning bolt that lit up the ocean as if day, the power went out. Foreman sensed that it frightened her a bit, so he held her tight in front of the fire, stroking her arms, kissing the back of her neck.

"Eric? I want you to know that the things I'm afraid of…when I hesitate about saying things to you, or making decisions, it's not because of anything you've done. I trust you. I know you're a good man and I'm safe with you." She leaned her head back, rubbing her temple against his cheek.

Foreman wondered where this was coming from and asked. "I've only had one session with Nolan, but he's really helping me figure out things. You know the guys I used to be with used to be very abusive. Not just verbally and physically but…." Angel was startled by an ominous crash of thunder. Foreman held her tighter. He felt a lump in his throat, having an idea what she would say.

"Angel, have I ever made you feel afraid or uncomfortable when we've made love?" He remembered seeing flashes of something wash over her that would instantly diminish. Now he wondered if this was the cause.

She turned to him, cupping his face. "No. Not ever." Angel was firm and in the dim light could see the determination in her eyes. But it quickly turned to uncertainty. "But….if I ever said no…?"

"Then we don't. It doesn't matter, at any point you say no or stop, I will respect that. I promise you. I could never dream of hurting you like that." Angel let out a big sigh; she hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath. She leaned back against him, melting into his arms, feeling his heartbeat along her back.

Angel began to forget the storm as Foreman's hands began to wander over her body again. She turned and knelt in front of him, untying his robe, enjoying the glow of his skin, the taste of it, salty from earlier, as she kissed him over and over, rubbing her hands over his chest and arms, nibbling his neck and earlobes.

His fingers moved to her sash and soon he removed it, her skin nearly translucent in the candle and firelight. Gently he laid her down on the quilts, marveling over her delicate breasts that both felt and tasted delicious. He licked at the nipples, enjoying how hard they were, and how much pleasure it brought Angel. He took a sip of champagne and kissed her; she couldn't help flicking her tongue into his mouth with the sweetness she found there. He returned to kissing her breasts, feeling intoxicated with the added taste of the champagne on them.

As if by some silent signal, they both stood, urgently removing their pants and stood, enjoying the heat of the fire on their bare skin, kissing, intertwining their bodies. "Bed or fireplace?" Foreman whispered huskily into her ear.

"Here, the fireplace," she whispered back, enjoying the heat from the fire. Before she could lie down again, Foreman pulled her onto his lap. She let out a pleased, surprised gasp and wrapped her legs around his waist. The pace of their lovemaking seemed to race the raging storm outside; his hand quickly unrolling a condom, her hand ready to guide him into her where she was hot and had been waiting too long.

Angel's hands then held onto him, caressing his neck; Foreman's hands clasped her back, his thumbs stroking the sides of her breasts. They began to match the rhythm of the crashing ocean waves, his hips rising and pressing against her, Angel's head falling backwards in ecstasy. One of his hands moved low to her hip just above her ass, to get a better hold and pull her tighter against him.

Her whimpers grew louder until she was keening against his shoulder, begging him, loving him. With four words—"Eric I love you"- they climaxed together, burying their cries in each other's mouths, panting and kissing with lips and tongues. The electricity between them seemed to flash across the sky as well, as they fell back onto the quilts, Angel on top of Foreman.

He kissed the tears that rolled down her cheeks and murmured his love for her over and again in her ear. The fire began to die down a bit as she rested her head on his chest. Foreman pulled one of the quilts over them, the scent of their musky lovemaking mixing with the rose petals.

"Is it always supposed to be like this?" Angel asked, feathering a few kisses on his chest.

"It is when I dream about you," Foreman said with a smile, making her bury her face in shyness. "I think we should get you into the bed, you'll be more comfortable." When she started pouting, he added "Hey, I'm going to be there too. Let me get the fire going again."

When it was finally a crackling blaze again, Angel admitted she'd worked up an appetite. Foreman dressed, retrieved their desserts, and poured more champagne. He'd tucked her back into bed—though she decided she'd be warm enough without pajamas, much to Foreman's delight. Dessert and drinks finished, Angel began to wince. Though the room was dim, Foreman saw her and cajoled her into taking some morphine.

Snug in bed, tangled together, the couple fell asleep to the retreating storm and the lull of the waves.

XXXXX

Angel awoke in a sweaty panic. She could hear Foreman snoring beside her. The only light came from a few glowing embers in the fireplace and a hint of moon from the bay window. She found her way over to the rocker where her robe was strewn with the rest of their nightclothes and quickly wrapped it around her. Angel sat in the bay window seat, looking down at the ocean waves, nearly hidden by fog.

The voices in her dream were more urgent, uglier, and vicious. _You kill the ones you love_.

"Not this time. Not Eric," she whispered defiantly. She looked over at the man she loved and vowed she'd die before she let anything happen to him. Angel stared at the ocean for a long time before crawling back in bed.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

Maggie greeted the sleepy couple with a grin and a full breakfast. "Good morning! I hope the storm didn't disturb you too much," she said with a wink to Calypso.

"Storm? Did you hear any storm Angel?" Foreman asked her innocently, knowing full well that Maggie had heard them.

"Nope, no storm," Angel giggled, turned red.

"Well, if you're into seashells, there will be a treasure trove out there today. Hope you enjoy the breakfast. I've already had mine, so I'll leave you two in peace. Come along, Calypso," Maggie called, the cat following her with a protesting yowl.

"Oh…my….I don't think I've ever seen such a huge breakfast for two people!" Angel's mouth watered, trying to decide what to have first: fresh fruit crepes, chocolate croissants, fruited rice pudding, chocolate chip banana bread and homemade mimosas. They ate, laughed and gave loving looks across the table. "You know, if we keep this up, Maggie will think we're more than just dating."

"Well, she already did…when we checked in and you were waiting outside, Maggie asked how long we'd been married," Foreman said, laughing at the shocked look on Angel's face. "Said she's rarely wrong."

"At least if we do, we know where to come for our honeymoon," Angel replied with a wink, giggling at the stunned look on his face. "Seriously. Promise me this is our place. When we want to get away from everything. Promise to bring me back here when I'm better and it's warmer."

Foreman took her hand and kissed it. "I promise."

When Angel absolutely positively couldn't eat another bite, she began begging Foreman to take her down to the beach again to look for shells. How could he say no? _You'd never know she had cancer_, he thought to himself. He wanted to pack every ounce of happiness into every day for her in case….Foreman angrily shook the idea out of his head. She would live. He couldn't afford to let down his guard near her, lest she see hope fade in his eyes. He had to be strong for her.

With a bag from Maggie, they set out for the beach once more, only after Angel swore to Foreman she would not pull a stunt like yesterday and go barefoot in the surf. Foreman held the bag while Angel darted to and fro like an excited child hunting for Easter Eggs. She gasped at one—time and weathering had shaped one ridged shell nearly in the shape of a heart. There was even a small hole that she could loop some cord through and wear it as a necklace. "It's a sign!" She said, giddy. And with that, an impish look crossed her face.

"Angel, what are you up to…you promised me…" Foreman began, shaking his finger at her, looking stern.

"No this is something different. Turn around. Trust me." Angel took some steps back; he could hear her feet crunching in the sand, now solidly wet and covered with bits of shells. "Okay, you can look now!"

With her cane, Angel had drawn a giant heart and on the inside, had written AH + EF, just like a schoolgirl with a crush. He could see her blush from here and smiled as she jogged back to him to get a view. "I love it….I love you," Foreman said, wrapping his arms around her, pressing their cheeks together as they watched a sandpiper skitter across her artwork.

Try as it might, the sun couldn't break through the clouds. Even when Angel started shivering a bit, Foreman didn't insist they went inside. He knew they would be leaving soon and reality would come crashing back. He wanted this to last as long as possible for Angel.

They found the bench and sat with his body trying to block the wind. He had the bag of shells tucked in his coat pocket. She mused on coming back to sketch the beach when it warmed up, a talent that surprised Foreman. "You're a surprise a minute," he said, kissing her temple. He pulled back and looked at her. "Angel, are you feeling okay?" He could have sworn her skin felt warm, but maybe it was just where her cap had been pulled down…

"A little tired, but okay, why?" Her smile was so big, Foreman waved it off, but did notice it was time to start heading back. He hated telling her; a few big teardrops welled out before she could stop them.

"I'm sorry baby. I wish we could stay longer." It made his heart hurt to see her put on a brave front about leaving. She hadn't just fallen in love with him; she'd fallen in love with this place, the ocean, Maggie, Calypso.

They started hiking back, into the wind. Angel felt her skin ache and her eyes sting. Walking through the denser sand made her legs feel wobbly. She reached out with her other hand to feel a bit more secure, but she started feeling so warm and nauseous. "Eric?" He turned to look at her with concern; she collapsed into his arms.

"Angel! Baby?" She didn't respond to his voice or gentle shaking or patting her cheeks. They were in sight of the inn; Foreman picked her up and carried her as fast as he could. Maggie had the door open, a worried look on her face; she must have seen them coming.

"Do you want me to call 911?" Maggie asked, wringing her hands.

Foreman shook his head. "Not yet. Let me check her out." He got her up to their room and onto the bed. After loosening her clothing he was able to take her vitals. "Her temperature is 100 degrees. I need to make a call."

XXXXX

Wilson answered the phone after a few rings. "Foreman, what's wrong?" Foreman began to fill him in. House limped into the room, grouchy at the telephone ringing. That was replaced by concern when he learned Angel had a fever. He kept trying to take away the phone; Wilson kept dodging about the kitchen, just out of reach, pausing now and then to hiss at House.

"Okay, I want you to hang an IV, give her the whole bag. Add a dose of the antibiotics, just to be on the safe side. If after that her fever doesn't go down, bring her here. If it goes up, call an ambulance. Keep me up to speed. I'm sure Angel will be fine." Wilson's hand was shaking when he hung up.

"Why you approved this asinine idea, I'll never know!" House growled with a hard look at Wilson.

"House, this is the last chance she'll have in a long while to do something that doesn't involve cancer. She's never seen the ocean—"

"That she can remember," House grumbled.

Wilson snorted briefly, lips pursed. "Still. You know how rare Multiple Myeloma is. She's not strong to begin with. This treatment is going to be hard. She deserved to spend this time with Foreman to forget about everything. And….God forbid…." Wilson trailed off, choking up.

"She's going to be fine!" House shouted, slamming a fist onto a counter, rattling the dishes nearby.

Wilson walked over to House, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Foreman's watching her like a hawk. I'm sure this was nothing but overexertion and dehydration. He loves her. He wouldn't let anything happen to her." Their eyes met, held for a moment, and then House looked away, shoulders slumping...

XXXXX

Maggie placed a cool cloth on Angel's forehead and tried to keep the cat off the bed. Foreman told her it was ok, and soon Calypso was curled up by Angel's hand, licking it every so often. He had the IV bag rigged up on a coat rack and soon had it in place. Foreman began to apologize for not making checkout, but Maggie put a stop to that.

"Don't you worry about this. You stay as long as you need. The only thing that is important is her getting better." After her speech to Foreman, she went back to mothering Angel, stroking her hair.

After the IV had been in for a short time, Angel's eyes fluttered open. She smiled faintly at Maggie and Foreman and weakly patted the feline. "What happened?"

"You're probably dehydrated, possibly a touch of an infection. I spoke to Wilson, just going to keep an eye on you while you go through this bag of fluid. There's a dose of antibiotics to be on the safe side. What we do next depends on your temperature. Think cool thoughts," he gently teased.

"Kind of hard with you around," Angel joked quietly, closing her eyes again. She opened them again and gazed at Maggie. "Thank you for being so kind."

Maggie simply leaned over and kissed her cheek with a tear in her eye. "You're not hard to be kind to. And you are welcome here any time. It's been a genuine pleasure having you two here."

Foreman encouraged Angel to just rest. As he'd hoped, her temperature fell as the bag emptied. It hovered near 99 but a quick check with Wilson indicated she was fine to go home. He was to run another bag of fluid with another dose of antibiotics and of course call him with any change. Everyone was relieved. Even Calypso returned to a soft slow purr as Angel rubbed her belly.

Maggie helped Foreman take their luggage and things to the car. She also included a surprise—a Styrofoam cooler filled with soup, dinner leftovers, more crème brulee, and some breakfast goodies. "I don't know how to thank you," Angel gushed, hugging her tightly. "This is truly a magical place you have here." She even gave Calypso a big hug, who did not protest.

"Sometimes I think the people who visit bring their own magic," Maggie said with a wink and a smile. She promised to keep in touch. Angel wept as they drove away, watching her ocean for as long as she could see it until they got too far from the coastline.

XXXXX

Foreman put Angel to bed as soon as they returned, hanging the second bag of fluids and adding some morphine. Angel was starting to hurt, and she was sad to be home, back to reality. Foreman put some of the seashells into a bowl next to her bedside. He promised to print out the photos so she could take them to the hospital on Monday. She spoke to Wilson on the phone who ordered her to stay in bed tomorrow; reluctantly she promised.

Angel was ready to hang up when House grabbed the phone away from Wilson. "House, I'm okay. Really. I'm just tired now."

"Angel what were you thinking? You could have gotten pneumonia; your immune system is compromised!" House blustered and scolded but Angel couldn't help but smile, glad he couldn't see her face.

"But I didn't. I swear, you sound just like—" Angel caught herself before the words _'my father'_ slipped out, but she quickly recovered. "You sound just like other doctors I know and love who worry about me too much. I'm going to get lots of rest and fluids. See you on Monday?"

Defeated, House mumbled okay and gave the phone back to Wilson. "I'll check on you tomorrow. Glad you had a good time, Angel."

Angel sat looking at the phone after she'd hung it up. Foreman caught her odd expression. "Angel, what is it? Did House say something to upset you?"

"No, not at all. He was just concerned." She smiled at Foreman. "I think I am a bit hungry, but you might have to help me out with this hep lock in my hand."

He balked when she said she wanted the crème brulee. Angel laughed. "Hey I have cancer, might as well eat dessert first!" She saw his face fall. "Oh Eric, I'm sorry….sometimes I feel if I don't laugh I'll cry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad."

Foreman sat by her, stroking her cheek. "No, it's ok. You do what you have to so you can cope with this. Your dark humor will just take a little getting used to. I'll get that dessert," he said with a wink.

As he fed her slowly, watching her delight in every creamy mouthful, he thought of one of the last times he'd been home before his mother died. He'd watched his father feed his mother. Foreman was determined to move Heaven and Earth to make sure Angel would beat the cancer. With that memory in his head, he knew he wanted to be with Angel always, to grow old with her.

Later, as she was trying to nap, Angel kept thinking about what she'd nearly said to House. Her father-was that how she felt about him? She didn't even know what it was like to have a father. Angel grabbed her journal, jotted down some notes for Nolan, and shut her eyes, thinking of the ocean.


End file.
